Pro-Russian Czech president Milos Zeman wins second term

29/01/2018

Czech president Milos Zeman has been elected to a second five-year term after winning a run-off vote. Zeman backed Donald Trump for the US presidency before Trump's election in 2016 - a rare position among leaders in Europe.

"It's important for us, for jobs; our country is at the heart of Europe but we can't go in just one direction", he said in Prague.

With 99.35% of districts reporting, Zeman won 51.55% of the vote to 48.44% for Drahos, who conceded the election before all ballots were counted.

"I would like to congratulate election victor Milos Zeman", Drahos told a crowd of supporters as he publicly acknowledged the result. The career scientist and chemistry professor said he planned to stay in politics, but did not provide details.

The tough-talking 73-year-old Zeman, known for his inflammatory remarks against the European Union, immigrants, Islam, the media and urban elites, was Prime Minister from 1998 to 2002 before being elected President in 2013.

He also has divided the nation with his pro-Russian stance and support for closer ties with China.

Zeman was one of the few European leaders to endorse Donald Trump's bid for the White House.

The victory represents a win for anti-establishment political forces who are fighting against the EU's liberal, multi-cultural values including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Poland's ruling Law & Justice Party. Zeman has said that even if he loses the election, he will swear Babis in as prime minister before his term expires on March 8.

While the last poll put Drahos, 68, three percentage points ahead of the incumbent, betting odds showed the opposite, slightly favoring Zeman.

His position also allows him to appoint central bank board members and judges.

The Czech constitution gives presidents limited executive powers, but President Zeman has not hesitated to test the boundaries.

The Kremlin was quick to offer its congratulations in a statement, saying that "Vladimir Putin emphasised Russia's appreciation for Mr. Zeman's stance favouring friendly Russian-Czech relations". He called Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula irreversible.

He has linked extremist attacks in Europe to the ongoing influx of newcomers, called the immigration wave an "organised invasion" and repeatedly said that Islam is not compatible with European culture.

Addressing reporters and supporters - including the heads of far-right parties - Zeman thanked the voters for his re-election.

Billboards across the Czech Republic sought to appeal to voters with anti-migrant messages: 'Stop immigrants and Drahos.

During the debate, Drahos called Zeman "a representative of the past political era.a symbol of division".

The four other top candidates - who accounted for 32.5% of the vote - are now urging voters to back Drahos, so the final outcome is likely to be tight.

Related News:

Cryptocurrencies could see major price fluctuations in the coming weeks and months as countries gear up with new regulations. The country has one of the world's biggest private bitcoin exchanges, with more than 2 million people holding bitcoin .

He ranked tied for first among qualified rookies in blocks per game, second in field-goal percentage (59) and fourth in rebounds. The Kings have had 11 players in the Rookie or Rising Stars Challenge dating to 1994, most recently Isaiah Thomas in 2013.

So Luiz is hopeful another manager will come in in the summer and give him more game time as he starts football life in his 30's. Wembley Stadium will host the 57th instalment of the League Cup final, which kicks off at 4.30pm on Sunday 25 January.

Coincheck said that around 523 million of the trade's NEM coins were sent to another record around 3 a.m. nearby time (1 p.m. A more widespread suspension on withdrawals of all cryptocurrencies and Japanese yen was issued roughly 30 minutes later.

The Supreme Court on January 23, ordered the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh government to screen the film " Padmaavat ". However, there were paid previews of the film available across Indian theaters on the evening of 24th January.

McKnight went on to play at the University of Southern California before being drafted in 2010 by NY , where he played until 2012. Gasser's defense team claimed McKnight aggressively pursued Gasser, but witness testimony disputed such a claim.

That's why a recent USA proposal of establishing a security zone along the Turkish-Syrian border will not work at this stage. The Turkish military launched a military operation in Syria targeting Kurdish militias in the enclave of Afrin last week.

John Elway early in process of retooling Broncos
It has been two years since Peyton Manning retired, and the Broncos' cast of quarterbacks has been a revolving door of starters. I love being around my teammates, leading and having responsibilities. "There's still a couple balls I wish I had back".

Hegazi skips West Brom training ahead of Liverpool clash
A changed lineup shouldn't prevent Liverpool from using home advantage to make it through to the fifth round, though. Liverpool have signed one player so far this month, with £75million Virgil van Dijk arriving from Southampton.

Akufo-Addo leaves to attend 30th AU summit
The endorsement was in recognition of his personal commitment and widely acclaimed anti-graft drive at the domestic level. The chairman of the African Union Commission said Thursday that the continent's leaders can not stay silent after U.S.

Pence visits Western Wall on last day of Israel visit
Previous presidents, Democrat and Republican, have tried with varying degrees of success to bring Israelis and Arabs together. Earlier Monday , Pence placed his right hand over his heart as an honor guard greeted him with the American national anthem.

A tale of two Texas senators on DACA
U.S. stocks advanced on Monday as each of Wall Street's main indexes touched a record intraday level after the shutdown deal. While the Senate easily approved the bill earlier in the day, most House Democrats voted against the continuing resolution.